The Daily Press Prints a Story Quoting a Public University

question 43

Multiple Choice

The Daily Press prints a story quoting a public university administrator-the dean of sciences-saying that nearly all students in the university's School of Journalism and Mass Communication are binge drinkers and come to class drunk.There are 400 SJMC students.Mary Smith,a senior in SJMC,knows that is not true about her and she wants to sue for libel.Smith

• A)could successfully sue for libel
• B)could not successfully sue for libel because The Daily Press has an absolute privilege to quote the university administrator
• C)could not successfully sue for libel because the statement contains nothing a jury could find defamatory
• D)could not successfully sue for libel because she could not prove identification

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Definitions:

Negligence

A lack of exercising the level of caution that a reasonably careful person would have shown in similar circumstances, leading to injury or damage.

Protected Individuals

Persons who are afforded special protections under the law, often due to their status, such as minors, disabled persons, or protected witnesses.

Restatement View

A perspective or doctrine derived from the Restatements of the Law, legal publications that seek to distill the common law into a series of principles or rules.

Tort Liability

Legal responsibility for damages caused by a wrongful act or omission other than breach of contract.